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The Best Free Fishing Apps That Actually Help

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ReciMe Team
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Let’s be honest – fishing is supposed to be simple, relaxing even. But once you start thinking about weather patterns, fish activity, water depth, and the best bait, things get a bit more complicated. That’s where fishing apps come in. You don’t need to pay a fortune for good ones either. Some of the best tools out there are totally free, and they can seriously upgrade your fishing game. Whether you’re a weekend warrior or someone who plans their vacation around peak bite times, here are the free fishing apps worth checking out.

But fishing isn’t the only hobby where a good app can make life easier. If you’ve ever found yourself digging through random screenshots or bookmarked food blogs trying to remember that one amazing recipe, you’ll get why ReciMe is a game changer. We built this free recipe organizer to help you keep all your favorite meals in one place, build grocery lists in seconds, and even plan out your week’s meals without the usual chaos. Sure, it’s not about landing a trophy bass, but it’s the same idea – use a smart, simple tool to take the guesswork out of something you love. And honestly, after a long day on the water, having dinner already figured out doesn’t sound too bad. Try ReciMe for free today and see how much smoother your evenings can be.

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1. Fishbrain

Fishbrain is a versatile fishing app that brings together location data, forecasting tools, and fishing maps into one convenient platform. With millions of users worldwide, it offers a large collection of fishing spots, catch logs, and recommendations that can help anglers plan smarter and fish more effectively. It supports a variety of fishing styles, whether you’re into freshwater, saltwater, or fly fishing.

The app includes detailed fishing maps with depth charts from Garmin Navionics and C-Map, covering U.S. and Canadian waters. It also features an AI-powered forecast tool called BiteTime, which uses weather conditions, moon phases, tides, and millions of catch reports to suggest the best fishing times. For tracking purposes, Fishbrain allows users to log catches, record baits used, and analyze patterns from previous trips.

In addition to maps and forecasts, Fishbrain offers a built-in fish identification tool, regulations for over 30 U.S. states, and points of interest like boat ramps and tackle shops. While some advanced features require a subscription, the free version still gives access to essential tools like logging, maps, and community updates.

Key Features:

  • Fishing maps with depth layers from Garmin Navionics and C-Map
  • AI-powered BiteTime forecasts using weather and catch data
  • Personal fishing logbook with catch, bait, and location tracking
  • Map tools for finding access points, boat ramps, and tackle shops

Why Choose This App:

  • Combines weather, maps, and forecasts in one platform
  • Offers tools for both trip planning and catch tracking
  • Covers a wide range of fishing styles and species across North America

Contact and Social Media Information:

2. FishAngler

FishAngler is a feature-rich fishing app designed to give anglers everything they need in one place. From interactive maps to personalized catch logs, it combines a wide range of tools to help plan trips, log data, and understand patterns. It’s built for all kinds of anglers, whether you fish freshwater lakes, offshore reefs, or quiet local streams.

One of the standout features of FishAngler is its mapping system. The app includes HD depth maps, nautical charts, and underwater structure layers that help you find the right spots to fish. You can also mark private waypoints, check local access points, or view artificial reefs. The fishing forecast section provides a detailed breakdown of tide times, moon phases, wind, and other conditions that affect fish activity.

Alongside planning tools, FishAngler has a built-in logbook to track every catch. It saves key details like species, bait used, size, location, and weather. Over time, this builds up a helpful history of your fishing habits. The app also offers gear recommendations and a bait guide, making it easier to figure out what to use based on actual catch data in your area.

Key Features:

  • Interactive maps with layers for depth, contours, and fish habitat
  • 7-day forecast with hourly conditions, tides, moon phases, and water flow
  • Personal logbook to track catches, gear, and fishing patterns
  • Fish ID tool that recognizes over 300 species

Why Choose This App:

  • Offers detailed maps and tools without requiring a subscription
  • Includes a wide range of info for both saltwater and freshwater anglers
  • Helps track progress and make smarter decisions over time

Contact and Social Media Information:

  • Website: www.fishangler.com
  • App Store: apps.apple.com/us/app/fishangler-fish-finder-app
  • Google Play: play.google.com/store/apps/details
  • E-mail: support@fishangler.com
  • Facebook: www.facebook.com/fishanglerapp
  • Twitter: x.com/fishanglerapp
  • LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/fishangler
  • Instagram: www.instagram.com/fishanglerapp
  • Address: FishAngler, LLC, 4101 Ravenswood Rd., Suite 318 – 319, Fort Lauderdale, Florida 33312

3. Navionics Boating

Navionics Boating is what a lot of serious anglers and boaters turn to when they want more than just a simple map on their phone. It’s a full-on marine charting app built by Garmin, and it’s packed with detailed overlays, depth contours, sonar data, and tools that help you figure out exactly what’s under and around you. Whether you’re cruising through the back bays or heading miles offshore, this app gives you the kind of detail that makes you feel more prepared.

The charts are super detailed, especially with the HD bathymetry maps. You get layers that show you underwater structure, shallow zones, and even bottom hardness in some lakes. And if you’re the type who likes to plan ahead, the built-in trip planner gives you route suggestions, distance estimates, tides, and weather forecasts. You can even mark waypoints where the bite was good or where you almost ran aground last time and don’t want to make that mistake again.

If you’ve got a compatible sonar or a Garmin chartplotter, the app gets even better. You can sync routes, record your own live sonar maps while on the move, and even view AIS marine traffic in real time. It’s not free, and a subscription is required to unlock most of the advanced features, but if you spend serious time on the water, it could be well worth it.

Key Features:

  • Nautical charts, HD bathymetry maps, and overlays for structure and bottom shading
  • Real-time weather forecasts, tide info, and current data
  • Auto Guidance+ helps plan your route with estimated fuel, ETA, and depth warnings
  • Integration with sonar and chartplotters for live map building and syncing routes

Why Choose This App:

  • Built for boaters and offshore anglers who need reliable marine data
  • Lets you create and save personalized routes, markers, and tracks
  • Has layers and tools that go way beyond basic navigation apps

Contact and Social Media Information:

4. BassForecast

BassForecast is built specifically for bass anglers who want to fish smarter, not harder. Instead of relying on gut instinct or guessing when bass might be biting, this app uses a combo of weather, water conditions, and moon phases to help you plan ahead. It’s designed to give you a clearer idea of when and where bass are most likely to be active, so you’re not just tossing lures and hoping for the best.

At the center of the app is something called the BassForecast Rating, or BFR. It’s basically a 10-day forecast tailored to bass fishing, showing you which days and times have the best conditions for activity. Along with that, it helps identify high-potential spots based on your location and current weather. So if you’re tired of wasting time on unproductive water, this can help you zero in on better targets.

There are also some handy extras that make trip planning a lot easier. You can view solunar data (which ties into feeding times), track your catches, compare hotspots, and use a full calendar with moon phases to figure out the best days throughout the year. Some of the more detailed tools, like lure recommendations and gear suggestions, are part of the paid version, but there’s still plenty to work with for free.

Key Features:

  • 10-day BassForecast Rating system that highlights top fishing days and times
  • Location-based suggestions for high-potential lake structures
  • Solunar data tied to your exact GPS location
  • Weather forecasts powered by AccuWeather with fishing-specific insights

Why Choose This App:

  • Created specifically for bass fishing, not just general angling
  • Helps take the guesswork out of when and where to fish
  • Tracks your results and patterns over time so you can learn what really works

Contact and Social Media Information:

5. Pro Angler

Pro Angler feels like it was built by people who actually fish, and fish a lot. It’s packed with a wide range of tools meant to cover both casual outings and serious trips, whether you’re fishing saltwater, freshwater, inshore, or offshore. With coverage across 500+ locations, over 60,000 marked hot spots, and weekly reports from local captains, it’s basically like carrying a stack of fishing magazines and a local guide in your pocket.

One thing that sets Pro Angler apart is how much real-world insight it folds into the app. The “What’s Biting” reports, for example, aren’t just some algorithm spitting out guesses, they’re based on updates from veteran captains and experienced anglers who know what’s going on in their region. You can also access state and federal regulations, detailed fish species info, tide data, and even recipes for your catch if you’re planning to cook.

There’s also a digital “fishing wallet” for your licenses and documents, local bait shop listings, GPS directions to launch points and reefs, and marine weather forecasts. The base version of the app has a lot to offer, and the premium plan adds deeper features like weekly pro reports, even more GPS spots, and access to additional fishing techniques.

Key Features:

  • Weekly fishing reports from regional captains
  • 60,000+ GPS-logged hot spots and reef locations
  • Easy-to-access fishing regulations and species info
  • Local tide, solunar, and weather data built in

Why Choose This App:

  • Built with help from real captains who actually fish the areas they report on
  • Great balance of local knowledge and broad national coverage
  • Tons of extras that are surprisingly useful when you’re out on the water

Contact and Social Media Information:

6. Fishing Points

Fishing Points is a super handy app that helps anglers plan smarter fishing trips without a bunch of guesswork. It’s packed with tools that cover everything from finding the best fishing times to saving your favorite spots. Whether you’re out on a saltwater boat or standing by a lake, the app gives you detailed info to help you figure out when and where to fish.

The app includes forecasts for tides, weather, moon phases, and even river flows, which is great if you fish a variety of spots. You can also access different types of maps like satellite, nautical, and topographic. One cool part is that it lets you save and organize your fishing locations with custom icons and colors, which makes it easier to keep track of your favorite areas.

You also get a personal catch log that automatically pulls in weather, solunar, and tide data for each catch you record. It even works offline with NOAA marine maps, so if you’re fishing in a dead zone without service, you’re still covered. Overall, it’s a solid pick for anglers who want more control over their trips and data without needing five different apps.

Key Features:

  • Hour-by-hour fishing forecasts with major and minor feeding times
  • Save locations, trolling paths, and custom waypoints with icons and colors
  • Offline maps with access to tides, depths, and over 50,000 boat ramps
  • Catch log that auto-fills weather, tide, and moon phase info

Why Choose This App:

  • Great mix of forecast tools and spot-saving features in one place
  • Works well even when you’re off the grid or out of signal range
  • Lets you keep detailed records and organize your spots your own way

Contact and Social Media Information:

7. Fishing Chaos

Fishing Chaos isn’t your average fishing app – it’s built to handle a lot more than just tracking tides or logging catches. Designed by folks who clearly love to fish, the app blends practical tools with tech features that actually serve a purpose. Whether you’re managing a tournament, running a charter business, or just fishing on the weekends, this app brings all those pieces together in one place.

One of the standout features is how it handles fishing tournaments. You can register, track live leaderboards, and even submit your catches online. No more waiting for tally sheets or tracking down organizers. For charter captains, there’s a full booking system with scheduling, payment, and client communication built in. It’s basically a one-stop shop for running trips more smoothly.

Beyond the business side, anglers can log their catches with photos, notes, and tackle used. The app even helps you keep a virtual tackle box, so you can track which bait works best. The map feature pulls everything together, letting you view your catch history, spot heatmaps, and find nearby charters or events. It’s a solid all-rounder for anglers who want more than just a forecast.

Key Features:

  • In-app tournament management with real-time leaderboards
  • Full charter booking and scheduling system for captains and clients
  • Catch log with notes, photos, gear tracking, and location data
  • Interactive map with heatmaps, catch points, and regional info

Why Choose This App:

  • Great option for anglers involved in tournaments or charter operations
  • Combines useful tools for both recreational and business fishing
  • Helps you organize and track every part of your fishing experience all in one place

Contact and Social Media Information:

8. iAngler Tournament

iAngler Tournament is built with one clear purpose – to streamline fishing tournaments while helping collect environmental data along the way. It’s a specialized app for anglers who are actively competing, giving them a handy way to log catches and keep track of tournament progress in real time, right from their boat or kayak.

Aside from tracking your own catches, the app makes it easy to browse available tournaments and register directly through your phone. It also pulls in weather forecasts and tide data specific to each event, which is a nice bonus for planning ahead. Messages and updates related to each tournament show up within the app, so you’re not bouncing between emails and different platforms just to stay informed.

What’s interesting is that iAngler isn’t just about the competition. The system supports other outdoor contests too, like cleanup events or trash collection challenges. That mix of sport and stewardship gives it a broader purpose, especially for anglers who care about the waters they fish.

Key Features:

  • Tournament registration and catch logging from your phone
  • Live leaderboard updates while you’re still out on the water
  • Built-in tide and weather data for each tournament location
  • Messaging system for receiving updates and alerts during events

Why Choose This App:

  • Designed specifically for fishing tournaments and environmental challenges
  • Helps organizers and participants stay organized and connected
  • Supports research efforts through catch data collection for marine studies

Contact and Social Media Information:

9. Deep Dive

Deep Dive is a fishing app designed specifically for anglers who want serious, data-backed strategies. Instead of depending on user-submitted reports or guessing what might work, Deep Dive uses patterns from pro tournaments and real-time conditions to recommend what to throw and where to throw it. It’s not built for casual scrolling – it’s for folks who want to prep, plan, and catch with purpose.

What really makes Deep Dive different is how it analyzes millions of conditions to match you with proven bass fishing patterns. It doesn’t just say “try a crankbait” – it’ll tell you what depth to fish, what cover to target, which bait color to use, and even the type of rod and retrieve style to try. The recommendations shift based on lake-specific weather and environmental factors, and you can even look up forecasts for the next seven days.

Another standout is the app’s exclusive water clarity maps, currently available for over 120 top lakes. Combine that with the wind data and lake forecasts, and you’ve got a serious advantage when it comes to figuring out where the baitfish might be moving and how the bass are behaving. It’s like having a tournament prep session in your pocket.

Key Features:

  • Recommends bass fishing patterns based on real-time lake and weather data
  • Offers specific bait, color, depth, and structure guidance
  • Water clarity maps for 120+ top U.S. lakes
  • Forecasts available up to 7 days in advance

Why Choose This App:

  • Doesn’t rely on crowdsourced info – all data-driven recommendations
  • Great for tournament prep or anglers with limited time on the water
  • Provides a full game plan, from lure choice to retrieve style, without guesswork

Contact and Social Media Information:

10. Omnia Fishing: Spots & Maps

Omnia Fishing is like your personal fishing assistant and tackle shop rolled into one app. It helps you quickly find fishing spots, check local conditions, and shop for the exact gear you need, all organized by lake or river. Whether you’re planning a weekend trip or a tournament day, it’s got the tools to help you figure out where to go and what to use.

The app gives you access to over 100,000 waterbodies and includes detailed lake info like fish species, average temps, barometric pressure, and solunar data. You can browse more than 20,000 fishing reports organized by lake, season, and species. Anglers can also post their own reports, which earns you tackle credit, a pretty nice bonus if you’re already planning to stock up.

Omnia PRO takes it a step further by unlocking premium map features like Navionics depth charts, water clarity, and real-time wind and weather layers. It’s great for spotting productive areas quickly, especially during pre-spawn or when you’re chasing a pattern. And if you’re into shopping for tackle, their same-day shipping and member perks make it really convenient to get what you need fast.

Key Features:

  • Detailed fishing maps for 100K+ lakes and rivers
  • Access to 20,000+ angler reports and seasonal trends
  • Personalized tackle suggestions with same-day shipping
  • Custom waypoints, lake summaries, and species insights

Why Choose This App:

  • Combines fishing tools and tackle shopping in one easy platform
  • PRO features offer high-value map layers and real-time data
  • Helps you make smarter tackle choices with local input and trends

Contact and Social Media Information:

11. ANGLR Fishing App

ANGLR is a smart fishing journal built for anglers who love tracking details, spotting patterns, and steadily improving how they fish. It’s more than just a place to log catches. This app gives you a full fishing logbook experience, letting you plan trips, drop GPS waypoints, and analyze weather, water, and gear data to learn from every outing.

The app works great on its own but also supports handy accessories like the ANGLR Bullseye or Abu Garcia Virtual Rod. These gadgets make it easier to log your catches or mark waypoints with a quick tap, so you can focus on fishing and not your phone. Whether you’re bank fishing, in a kayak, or on a bass boat, the app captures your trip conditions minute by minute.

With ANGLR, your fishing spots are private by default, so you don’t have to worry about sharing more than you want to. It keeps everything in one place – from GPS routes to tackle used – and lets you see how each trip stacks up over time. It’s like building your own personal fishing guide, trip by trip.

Key Features:

  • Track and log fishing trips with automatic weather and water data
  • Add 15+ different waypoint types and map GPS routes
  • Build and manage a personal tackle box in the app
  • Analyze past trips to spot trends using the fishing analytics dashboard

Why Choose This App:

  • Keeps all your fishing data and logs in one private, secure spot
  • Works with optional devices for hands-free tracking on the water
  • Helps you improve your fishing over time by revealing patterns in your own data

Contact and Social Media Information:

12. Fish Deeper

Fish Deeper is a handy tool for anyone who wants to understand what’s going on below the surface, not just guess. Whether you’re out on a kayak, fishing from shore, or ice fishing in the dead of winter, this app gives you solid info to work with. It works fine on its own, but it really shines when paired with a Deeper sonar device.

With Fish Deeper, you can explore detailed 2D and 3D maps that show underwater features like drop-offs, humps, and bottom hardness. These details make it easier to spot areas where fish are likely to hang out. The app also includes a hub for each lake where anglers can swap tips, log catches, and see what’s been biting lately.

You can download maps to use offline, log your catches with photos and bait details, and track weather forecasts specific to the exact body of water you’re fishing. If you connect it to a Deeper sonar, you unlock real-time sonar readings, depth mapping from your boat or shore, and even a dedicated mode for ice fishing.

Key Features:

  • 2D and 3D maps showing lake contours and bottom hardness
  • Waterbody hubs where anglers share local catches and info
  • Real-time sonar views and depth scans with Deeper devices
  • Catch logging with bait, location, and technique details

Why Choose This App:

  • Great mix of solo features and community insights
  • Real-time depth and structure info helps find fish faster
  • Works well for all types of fishing – shore, boat, or ice

Contact and Social Media Information:

13. My Fishing Journal App

My Fishing Journal App is all about keeping track of your fishing trips in a clean, no-fuss way. It lets you jot down every trip in detail, store it safely, and pull it up later whenever you want. Whether you’re tracking patterns or just like looking back on good days, this app gives you a solid place to store it all.

The layout makes it easy to keep your journals tidy and searchable, so even if you’ve logged dozens of trips, you won’t be scrolling forever to find what you need. If you want to share your journals with a buddy or keep them totally private, you’ve got both options. Plus, it’s great for discovering new places to fish and keeping notes on what works where.

It’s not packed with flashy extras, and that’s kind of the point. This app focuses on doing one thing well – helping you record the stuff that matters from your time on the water. You can stick with the free version or go for a subscription if you want more features.

Key Features:

  • Organized, searchable fishing trip journals
  • Option to share your logs or keep them private
  • Supports both monthly and annual subscriptions
  • Helps you find new fishing spots to explore

Why Choose This App:

  • Focused and simple without unnecessary clutter
  • Keeps your data safe and easy to access later
  • Designed by someone who clearly understands what anglers care about

Contact and Social Media Information:

Final Thoughts

Finding a great fishing app that doesn’t cost a dime can feel like searching for a secret honey hole – it takes a bit of digging, but it’s worth it. The apps we’ve covered aren’t just filler – they actually help you plan smarter, track better, and maybe even catch more fish. Whether you’re logging every cast or just need a quick weather check, there’s something here that fits the way you fish.

Not every angler wants the same thing out of an app, and that’s the beauty of these picks. Some are loaded with features, others keep it simple. Try a few, see what clicks, and stick with what works. The best app is the one that fits into your routine and makes your time on the water even better – no price tag required.